Old 2013 Macbook Air - Install works, but won't boot afterwards

[1337haXXor]

Install goes fine, just put a new drive in the laptop. MX sees it and the install is fine, but when I boot the computer, I get the slow blinking folder with a question mark on it, which I think means the computer can't find something to boot? I don't remember the password to the Mac originally from the old hard drive, but don't need anything from it. I figured I could just slap in a new NVME, install MX, and call it a day. I read something about Macs at that time using a different format for the boot drive (VFS? HFS+? Something like that). I found one guide for Ubuntu to install, then go into grub and manually switch/force the Macbook to boot that specific EFI partition and bypass Mac's expectations, but I couldn't find anything like that for MX. What's my best option, here?

[j2mcgreg]

Given that MX is basically Debian with extra good stuff, have a look at the MacBook Air section of the Debian on Apple Wiki:
https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Apple

[peregrine]

My daughter gave me her 2015 Macbook air. I have the same issue as you MX installs but does not boot. I too get the folder icon with the question mark. I am using it with a live USB with persistence - that works fine for my needs with it.

[1337haXXor]

Man, I still got nothing.

So I've installed rEFInd on the original disk, which I was able to sucessfully wipe completely and reinstall standard OSX on. So at the very least, I have a computer that works. And with rEFInd, I'd be able to boot Linux once I have it installed. But I keep hitting roadblocks. I tried installing the new SSD. It's detected by the MX installer, installs fine, but the Mac doesn't boot with it installed. I had rEFInd installed, but I'm assuming that lives on the old SSD, so the new one won't work with it. So I figure I could try to install OSX on the new drive, JUST to install rEFInd to be able to boot Linux, which I would install on it, but the Mac installer doesn't see the new drive at all, I've formatted it to exFAT and unformatted using Linux, but nothing. So then I tried partitioning the original SSD (it's small, but works, at least), but when I do that, now the MX installer won't see it! I'm stuck. If the new drive doesn't work out, that's fine, I guess. But what reason would there be for MX not even detecting a drive that's working fine with OSX which is installed on it?

[fehlix]

You may try to install rEFInd, when booted in MX Linux.
To boot into the installed MX Linux try the LiveUSB/DVD Boot menu entry Boot Rescue Menu -> to search for efi-GRUB boot loader.
Not sure whether it works, as I don't have such a device to test.

[1337haXXor]

My understanding was that booting the Mac goes in the order: Apple bootloader -> rEFInd -> grub. Which is why I'd read that you have to at least have some sort of valid OSX install for the Apple bootloader to succeed, which could then go to rEFInd, which would load grub. Convoluted, but it seemed to make sense. Either way, I'll try your suggestion and see.

[m_pav]

You don't need any additional boot software to boot MX on a Macbook Air or an iMac.
I have a 2017 MacBook Air and my son has a 2014 iMac 21.5", both in a dual boot setup.

-- edited for clarity and to remove typos --

Leaving out the required pre-conditioning by making space for MX in dual boot, if you're going that route, here's the important things that you need to know.

Your Live-USB MUST be created using our Live USB Creator and using the advanced settings, its a requirement to select gpt formatting for use with apple products firmware. That's the first hurdle to overcome because it pre-conditions the boot phase to enable writing GRUB to the ESP partition using the best practices for working with Apples Firmware based loading.

Next, when you're installing, if it's a dual boot, then install GRUB into the existing ESP partition. This will give MX Linux the first priority on boot but the macOS will not be seen because we can not read into their apfs container to obtain other boot chioces. When you're done with the installer, GRUB will load and take you directly to MX Linux, there will be no macOS option. To boot into macOS, you'll need to use the Option key boot modifier after you hear the chime to bring up the list of bootable devices and select the right one.

If you're not Dual-booting, then the above still rings true. Booting off of a Live USB that was created using gpt formatting will automatically facilitate our installers partitioner to use gpt formatting for the internal drive, thereby making the boot process possible because the required ESP partition will be available to the firmware.

[1337haXXor]

Hmm, no dice. I'm not dual-booting, so I don't have to worry about that. I put in a fresh SSD, it's the only drive in the system. Made the USB using MX and in advanced options checked "GPT partitioning." Installed it to the Macbook without issue, but upon boot, I got the same question mark folder flashing.

[baldyeti]

Have you tried fehlix's suggestion ? Can you boot from the USB key "rescue" menu ? If so, install the linux version of refind once booted (sudo apt-get install refind)

Another thing you can try is, from a live session, select "chroot rescue scan" - if it finds and allows you to select the MX installation on the HDD/SSD, install refind from there (at the "chroot>" prompt)

[1337haXXor]

Good suggestions, but neither worked. After installing, from the rescue menu, it does not detect the install. And for the second one, in chroot, it says package not found for refind.